KABUL - Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has praised Iran’s role in Afghanistan while criticizing the United States.
Speaking at Tehran Dialogue Forum, Karzai said that despite US presence in Afghanistan, Iran took part in Afghanistan’s reconstruction, had economic cooperation and hosted Afghan refugees, according to Iran’s official news agency IRNA.
He said that regional and global cooperation fell apart following US entry into Afghanistan, adding US presence didn’t deliver what was expected.
Karzai said that after 18 years, Afghanistan is still suffering from war and its national sovereignty is breached. He said that peace cannot be ensured unless regional countries cooperate. The forum was organized in Tehran amid growing tensions following US killing of top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in Iraq.
Karzai urged US to take a rational path in dealing with Iran and return to the nuclear deal.
The forum was addressed also by Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif who said that regional countries should not sacrifice their neighbors for US for their own security. (1TV NEWS)